Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Last Minute Security Travel Trip

Now that TSA agents are reaching inside underwear , breaking uroscopy bags, and other things we might prefer not to ponder, you might wonder where else the TSA's gloves have been. This has occurred to readers of Instapundit:

SEVERAL READERS ASK THE SAME QUESTION:

I’d suggest that anyone thinking of opting for the “pat downs” may want to ask the TSA agent when they last changed their gloves. I would worry about just what little “friends” were being carried on the gloves from previous searches.

And reader Benjamin Wang emails:

A disgusting thought, but I’ve never seen a TSA screener change gloves. It would be interesting to send in a HAZMAT team to test several sets of gloves and see what’s on them. And publicize the results.

Remember: The gloves are for their protection. Not yours.

Plus, Dr. Alan Reitz emails on the glove-changing thing: “As a health care provider, I thought of this issue last week while going through the airport. If I did not change gloves between patients even if touching the patient on the arm, the health/infection control department would come down like a ton of bricks.”

The TSA says you have the right to make the security guard change their gloves (clickhere):

You have the right to ask a Security Officer to change her/his gloves during the physical inspection of your accessible property, before performing a physical search (pat-down,) or any time a Security Officer handles your footwear.

I suggest you take advantage of that right and insistent the security guard change gloves before touching you, your children, or your property.